Detachable connection for electric fixtures.



No. 633,039. Patented Sept. I2, 1399.

S. G. READ.

DETACHABLE CONNECTION FOR ELECTRIC FIXTURES.

(Application filed May 13, 1899.)

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STACEY (lOODlVlN RJAD, OF

BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

DETACHABLE CONNECTION FOR ELECTRlC FEXTURES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 633,039, dated September 12, 1899.

Application filed May 18,1899- Serial No. 716,718. (No model.)

T0 (I/ZZ 1071,0712 it Tito/y concern.-

Be itknown that-I, STACEY GOOD'WLN READ, of Bridgeport, in the county of Fail-field and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and Improved Detachable Connection for Electric Fixtures, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in supports for electrical fixtures, designed to facilitate the putting up and taking down of the same.

lily invention comprises the novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to he had to the accompanying drawings, .forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a sectional view of my device. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the rear surface of the portion of my device secured to the fixture-base. Fig. 3 is a front view of the baseblock of my device. Fig. at is a section upon the line a 4 of Fig. 2, and Figs. 5 and 6 are views of slightly-modified forms of my device.

The object of my invention is to make it possible to readily put up or take down incandescent lamps or other electrical fixtures. In stage-work this is often an important matter, as it is desired to change the lamps in scenery, and the time required for screwing a lamp into an ordinary socket is too great for convenience.

I have herein shown my device as used in connection with an ordinary incandescent lamp, although it is evident that the same may be used in connection with any form of electric fixture.

The base-block B of an incandescent lamp is provided in its under or rear surface with recesses which receive two plates II and I, the plate H, as shown, being a semicircular bar secured at its ends by screws 72, to the base-block, said screws passing through the flanged end of the metal socket O and forming a part of the electrical circuit. At the center of bar H is an upwardly-projecting arm H, which is L-shaped, the end of the bar, as herein shown, projecting outwardly at the center. The plate I is secured at the center of the block by a screw 1 which projects through the opposite side of the base-block and forms the contact for the other end of the electric circuit. This bar also has an L shaped arm I, projecting upwardly and outwardly similar to the arm 11 upon the plate II. I These two L-shaped arms form contactpicces by which the electrical connection is made and broken and by which the fixture is supported.

The base-block, which is fixed to the wall or scenery, as the case may be, consists of a block A of some non-conducting material, which is preferably provided with a non-conducting backing-piece A. These two parts A A are provided with screw-holes a,by means of which the device may be secured to the walls ora screen or to scenery. The block A has two recesses G in its face adapted to accommodate the ends of the L-spaped bars H and 1. Upon the surface of the block are secured two plates D, the inner edges of which are substantially parallel and extend partially over the recesses G, producing an undercut to receive the ends of the arms I and H. Each plateD'is connected withasplate l l embedded between the two blocks A and A, the connection being made by screws 6,

which pass through the body of the block A. The backing A has openings adapted to accommodate the wires F, which pass through the same and are secured to the plates E. It will thus be seen that to secure the fixture in place and to make the electrical connection, it is only necessary to slide the arms 11' and 1 into the grooves formed beneath the plates D. The fixture is thus supported and at the same time properly connected with the feedwires F. I

In Fig. 5 a slight modification is shown, in which two additional arms H and I are used to engage the outer surfaces of the plates D. In Fig. 6 an equivalent construction is shown consisting of two additional plates D, which are in effect duplications of the plates D and between which the arms H and I enter.

This device lends itself readily to use for scenic purposes about theaters, as it may be secured to canvas or any more substantial material and enables the lamps to be very quickly attached or detached.

Having thus fully described myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A detachable support for electrical fire tures, comprising a fixed base having two parallel grooves, extending from one edge inwardly or toward the center, two metal plates having electrical connection with the feedwires and secured to the face of the base outside the grooves, and projecting over the maj or part of their width, and a socket-base having two projecting L-shaped arms in electrical connection with the conductors of the fixture and adapted to enter the grooves and engage said plates whereby the fixture may be quickly slid into and out of place, substantially as described.

2. A detachable support for electrical fixtures, comprising a fixed base having two parallel grooves in its face extending from one edge inwardly or toward the center, two metal plates having electrical connection with the STACEY GOODW'IN READ.

WVitnesses:

LoUIs H. LYON, WILLIAM J. MARTIN. 

